1. The Song Writing Course
th
for 4 year Philippine high school Students
By Ryan Cayabyab
32 weeks, 64 meetings (2x a week class) using the Workshop and Discovery
approach instead of classroom lecture style with lots of exercises and take home
assignments, hours of listening, analyzing and experimentation with recording
software.
It is expected that the student has some knowledge or has
experience in music, either as a singer (a member of a choir or
group) or as a music enthusiast who knows basic piano or guitar.
Classroom scenario: piano or keyboard, guitar, cd player, computer,
sound recording software and set up, amps, microphones, speakers,
etc.
First Semester:
Discovering Music and Words: How songs are made.
I. Introductory Aural exercises:
Using Philippine pop music (but not limited to) as examples, listen
and describe the songs in the language or dialect that they are
comfortable in. Coax them to express themselves (personal
expression is important) verbally. There is no need to tell them if they
are right or wrong, they will discover it themselves because it is
important for them to develop a higher degree of sensitivity.
General Descriptions of songs that they will hear:
Happy - Masaya
Sad - Malungkot
Uplifting, inspiring - Nakaka- inspire
Thought provoking – Napapaisip ka
Funny – Nakakatawa
Heavy – mabigat sa damdamin
Others: Nakakakilig, nakakatuwa, nakaka-in-love, nakaka-inis,
Nakapagpapaindak,
Prepare forms for analyses, if possible.
A. Melodies
Describe the melodies you hear.
Where is the melody going (direction)?
Raise right hand when melody moves up; bring hand down when
melody moves down. (Mimic the direction with your hands)
Do the notes move fast, moderately fast, moderate, moderately slow?
Mention too if notes reiterate or repeat the same note.
Easy to follow: notes move by step.

2. Moderately easy to follow: notes move by step and skips.
Hard to follow: notes move in by leaps or jumps, in disjunct motion.
Difficult to describe the direction.
Other comments and observations.
Some general notes on tonalities (What is the key of the song?) and
basic harmony.
Major tonalities are normally used for happy, uplifting, funny,
danceable tunes.
Minor tonalities usually depict sadness, also deeper, thought
provoking themes.
B. Rhythm
Describe the rhythm you hear.
Does the overall sound move fast or slow? Does the melody move
fast or slow?
Is the rhythm steady or does the beat change?
Does the rhythm feel flowing, light, moderate, heavy?
What is the speed of the song? Introduce metronome and beats per
minute.
Other comments and observations.
Some general notes on rhythm and tonalities:
Medium to fast rhythms and major tonalities denote happiness.
Slower rhythms in minor tonalities denote deeper emotions, sadness,
weariness, angst.
Fast rhythms with minor tonalities create excitement or anxiety.
C. Dynamics
Is the music piece, or song always loud, always soft, medium soft or
loud, or a combination of? Does it start loud, does it start soft, does it
change somewhere in the middle?
Loudness is used to stress or highlight a feeling, whether it be happy,
sad, anger, or in protestation.
Softness is used to highlight intimacy or closeness
Using both hands, depict loudness with open palms, softness with
upturned palms while listening to songs.
Other comments and observations
D. Texture
What are the components of the song? Do you hear a Singer, a band,

3. guitar, piano, keyboard, etc.? How many singers do you hear? Is
there a solo singer with back up? Is it a singing group singing?
Describe the vocals – is the quality of the solo voice velvety, croaky
or raspy, deep, nasal, etc?
Do you hear other instruments? Describe. Western instruments?
Orchestra instruments? Indigenous? Listen to soaring strings, to
brassy accents, to plaintive woodwinds (like solo flutes and oboes)
and other instruments (no need to delve deeply into this for this
course.)
Other comments and observations
More general notes on tonalities, rhythm, dynamics, and texture:
Emotions such as Anger can be depicted in minor tonalities and can
use fast or slow rhythms, it could be soft, but definitely more intense
than usual.
Feelings of peacefulness use major tonalities but slower rhythms,
dynamics of this type are usually soft, with lesser instruments, or
instruments playing softer.
Protest songs and songs of anger are usually in minor tonalities and
utilize slow or fast rhythms, they can be loud or soft but intense to
highlight the emotions
Love songs take on any tonality based on the kind of love, the type of
love, the situation of love that the song is describing.
Using a keyboard, play various music to guide the student for:
Exercises in major tonalities and chords
Exercises in minor tonalities and chords
Exercises n fast and slow rhythms
Exercises n loud and soft passages
Exercises in intensity
Take home- name songs and interpreters that are described as thus
(use the music in your ipod, mp3 players):
Easy melody to sing. Steady fast rhythm. Slow rhythm with a strong
beat. Soaring melody. Loud, intense singing. Soft flowing melody.
Etc. (teacher to add more combinations)
II. The Magic of Words
Words. Why words matter. Ideas. Why contribute to the noise? Make
a statement. Express what the community wants, needs. Words that
make people take action. Words that make everyday, every waking
day a joy to welcome. Words that make us alive. Words that make
our lives meaningful to others. Words to help us realize that we are
one, and that if we take care of each other, we in turn are cared for by
the rest.

4. The power of words. The power of ideas. The power of ideas
expressed in a vision. The power of imagination expressed in words.
Putting words together. Forming words that express your ideas in
various ways.
LISTEN to various songs and check out what they are saying. Go
straight to popular Filipino songs. Describe the whole song first, then
de-construct. Take the structure: verses, chorus, etc. Then the lines,
then the words used. Prepare a listening list. Add your suggestions to
the following list:
From the 70s – 90s
1. Anak (Freddie Aguilar)
2. Manila (Hotdog)
3. Ewan (Apo) Louie O/R. Arrieta
4. Ngayon at Kailanman (Basil) G. Canseco
5. Awitin mo at isasayaw ko (VST and Co)
6. Magexercise Tayo tuwing umaga (Yoyoy Villame)
7. Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko (Rey Valera)
8. Sana’y Wala nang Wakas (Sharon) Willy Cruz
9. ---
10. ----
11. ----
12. ----
13. ----
14. (Add more to this list)
Make sure that the words can be read. Prepare printed dole-outs or
better yet, just use a projector to project the lyrics on the screen or
wall.
Describe the lyrics of the song:
1. First, recite the words without the melody, notice how easy (or
hard) it flows.
2. Does it describe something that happened? Something that is
happening? Do a summary. What is the whole lyric idea of the
song?
3. Are the lyrics presented in the first, second, third person point
of view?
4. What is the general mood of the lyrics (happy, sad, etc)?
5. Notice the rhymes – and underline its importance in the song.
6. What form or structure is used? (Binary? Stroph? Etc) Without
Structure the song is shapeless with no perceived direction.
The most common and popular is verse-hook (or verse-chorus)
7. Do the words
8. Other comments
III Words and Music combined

5. After listening to songs, point out:
1. Which part connects to the listener most. This is a ‘hook’.
2. Which part keeps on repeating. This is also most probably a
‘hook’.
3. Which part of the song sticks most to the minds of the listener -
the hypnotizing melody; a danceable, moving rhythm; words
that cut deeply into the hearts of the listeners; repetitive lyrics; a
pulsating bass line; a guitar solo riff in the instrumental part, etc
4. If the melody is easy to sing and remember. Or if the chord
patterns used are predictable enough. Does the melody sound
familiar yet infused with some twists and innovation? Is the
rhythm easy to latch on to?
5. Where the part of the lyrics are most unique yet universal in
theme.
6. Where the title figures out in the whole song.
IV. Exercises in words, meter, melodies
We shall use Bahay Kubo as the jump off verse for the writing
exercises. The original is on the left. Other examples follow, using
different ideas, different visuals or pictures.
A B
BAHAY KUBO 4 SA BAYAN KO
KAHIT MUNTI 4 MERONG GINTO
ANG HALAMAN DOON 6 ITO’Y NASA PUSO
AY SARI SARI 4 NG BAWA’T TAO
C D
ANG BOYPREN KO NOONG PASKO
KAHIT POGI ANG NINONG KO
MAYRO-ONG SIKRETO _ _ _ _ _ _
SIYA’Y DEHIN GOLI _ _ _ _ _
E F
MAHAL KITA BATA, BATA
O NANAY KO _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ KAHIT MERONG MUTA
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Try the same exercise with the following verses (Use the same
meter, write new ideas and words):
G
LERON LERON SINTA 6
BUKO NG PAPAYA 6
DALA DALA’Y BUSLO 6
SISIDLAN NG BUNGA 6

6. H
DAHIL SA IYO 4
NAIS KONG MABUHAY 6
DAHIL SA IYO 4
HANGGANG MAMATAY 5
I
IBON MANG MAY LAYANG LUMIPAD 9
KULUNGIN MO AT UMIIYAK 9
BAYAN PA KAYANG SAKDAL DILAG 9
ANG DI MAGNASANG MAKAALPAS 9
J
KAY GANDA NG ATING MUSIKA 9
KAY GANDA NG ATING MUSIKA 9
ITO AY ATIN 5
SARILING ATIN 5
(AT) SA HABANG BUHAY (5)6
AWITIN NATIN 5
K
KULANG ANG MAGPAKAILAN PA MAN 9
UPANG BAWAT SANDALI AY 8
UPANG MULI’T MULI AY 7
ANG MAKAPILING AY 6
IKAW 2
L
NAWAWALA, 4
BUMABALIK, 4
ETO NA NAMAN 5
BIGLA NA LANG 4
DUMADATING 4
ETO NA NAMAN 5
M
ILANG ISAW PA BA ANG KAKAININ, 11
O GILIW KO? 4
ILANG TANZAN PA BA ANG IIPUNIN, 11
O GILIW KO? 4
GAGAWIN KO ANG LAHAT 7
PATI ANG THESIS MO 6
WAG MO LANG IPAGKAIT 7
ANG HINAHANAP KO 6
N
ANG AWIT NG KABATAAN 8
ANG AWIT NG PANAHON 7
HANGGANG SA KINABUKASAN 8
AWITIN NATIN NGAYON 7

7. O
ANONG BALITA 5
SA RADYO AT TV 6
GANUN PARIN 4
KUMAKAPA SA DILIM 7
MINSAN NAISIP KO NANG 7
UMALIS NALANG DITO 7
KALIMUTAN ANG LAHAT, 7
LUMIPAD, LUMAYO, OH 7
P
HETO AKO, 4
BASANG-BASA SA ULAN 7
WALANG MASISILUNGAN, 7
WALANG MALALAPITAN 7
SANA'Y MAY LUHA PA, 6
AKONG MAILULUHA 7
AT NG MABAWASAN 6
ANG AKING KALUNGKUTAN 7
Q Full song by Ogie Alcasid
KAILANGAN KO'Y IKAW 6
DITO SA PILING KO 6
KAILANGAN KONG MADAMA 7
ANG PAG-IBIG MO 5
SA BAWAT ORAS NA 6
DI KA NAKIKITA 7
PARA BANG KAY BIGAT 7
NG NADARAMA 5
O GILIW NASAN KA 6
BAKIT LUMISAN KA 6
PAANO NANG 4
PUSO KONG NAG-IISA 7
KAILANGAN KO’Y IKAW 6
DITO SA BUHAY KO 6
PAANO NA 4
ANG PUSO KONG 4
NAG-IISA 4
Note: When doing this exercise, ask the student to explain the lyrical
idea of each song. What is it trying to say? Is it describing a feeling,
an event, an action, a person? Etc. Read each example aloud. Note
the meter – the rise and fall of the syllables. Point out the rhymes.
Students should try to write as many exercises as possible. After the
new words or lyrics are written down, experiment on various melodies
through the use of an instrument, or by singing the lines and the
verses. Using the following tried and tested progressions, write

8. melodic sketches against the chord progressions, choosing the right
tonalities to fit your lyrical ideas. For example, happy songs are
normally in major keys while sad songs are normally minor keys.
Chord progressions: (to follow)
V. Getting started.
Writing your song. Which comes first? Lyrics or music? (For this
course, we shall create the lyrical idea first.)
A. Looking for ideas
1. Observing people and looking around for inspiration –
describe the characters, their moods, their wants
2. Looking farther out: the school, the community,
institutions, the country – what is needed, what can help
the community or system.
3. Media is where you can find ideas
B. Assume the role of the character you wish to write about. Act it
out. The character might be you!
C. A list of Universal Themes
1. Being in love, or being obsessed with someone
2. Feeling depressed, or a personal tragedy, or loneliness
3. Breaking up; uncertainty
D. Choosing a Title
E. Write your verses: simplicity is beauty. Depict a visual tapestry.
Create dramatic details. Be lush with emotions. Use all your
senses to describe a feeling, a detail, a storyline.
F. Create simple melodies that are singable. Step motion (up or
down) is the easiest to latch on to. Melodies should be easy to
remember. Try writing melodies with simple chord patterns.
(Chord substitutions can be done by professional arrangers.)
G. Use the chord progressions introduced previously to assist you
in writing your song.
H. Choose the right tempo and rhythm that sits right with your
lyrics (having created the lyrics first).
I. Write in the pop genre that you are familiar with, or where you
want your song’s direction headed.
J. Write out verses first, then put the melody on the words. Write
the hook (or chorus) then put the melody. It is possible that you
leave some syllables blank with the melodies already done.
You can always go back and forth. For this intro course, we will
concentrate on the regular binary form: the verse-hook, or the
verse-chorus form. For variations, we can add a bridge (the fly-
off), or a tag (the coda).
VII Finishing your song.

9. You may ask a collaborator to co-write the song with you.
VIII Next steps
Finding an interpreter to sing your song and recording a demo of your
song using the classroom studio.
Second Semester: Vocal Performance Workshop
1st Draft
Ryan Cayabyab
May 9, 2011